Conventionally, an analyzer has been put to practical use which uses a panel for analysis having a sample liquid set inside and which analyzes characteristics of the sample liquid using an optical scanning technique while rotating a disk for analysis mounted with the panel around an axis center.
In recent years, with various needs from the market such as for smaller amounts of sample liquids, downsizing of apparatuses, shorter measurement times, and simultaneous measurement of multiple items, there has been a demand for an analyzer with higher accuracy capable of reacting a sample liquid such as blood with various analyzing reagents, detecting the mixture of the same, and examining progresses of various diseases in a short period of time.
For example, a configuration shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B is described in Patent Document 1.
In a state where a panel 203 for analysis is mounted on a holding member 204 for the panel for analysis of a disk 201 for analysis as shown in FIG. 20B, the disk 201 for analysis shown in FIG. 20A is rotated around a rotating axis center 202 to optically analyze a sample liquid.
The panel 203 for analysis which is detachable to the disk 201 for analysis includes a sample liquid injection port 214, a cavity 208 communicating with the injection port 214, and an air inlet 210 communicating with the cavity 208. The injection port 214 is formed on an end face of the panel 203 for analysis so as to facilitate injection of a sample liquid, an absorbing member 215 is formed on the disk 201 for analysis at a position corresponding to the position of the injection port 214 of the panel 203 for analysis, whereby the absorbing member 215 absorbs just an appropriate amount of a sample liquid adhered around the injection port 214 of the panel 203 for analysis. In the state where the panel 203 for analysis is mounted on the holding member 204 for the panel for analysis, the injection port 214 of the panel 203 for analysis is hermetically closed by the absorbing member 215.
A flow channel is formed in the cavity 208 of the panel 203 for analysis such that the flow channel is positioned further towards the outer periphery of the disk 201 for analysis as seen from the injection port 214 and the air inlet 210. An analyzing reagent 209 to react with the sample liquid is applied midway along the flow channel of the cavity 208.
In an analysis operation using the panel 203 for analysis, when the sample liquid is dispensed as a drop on the injection port 214 of the panel 203 for analysis in a state where the panel 203 for analysis is removed from the disk 201 for analysis, the sample liquid is transferred by capillary force into the cavity 208 communicating with the injection port 214.
When the panel 203 for analysis to which the sample liquid has been set is mounted to the holding member 204 for the panel for analysis of the disk 201 for analysis, an opening of the injection port 214 is closed by the disk 201 for analysis. At this point, since a sample liquid adhered to an end face of the injection port 214 comes into contact with and is absorbed by the absorbing member 215, it is possible to prevent adherence of the sample liquid to a position opposing the injection port 214 or dispersal of the sample liquid during rotation of the disk 201 for analysis, enabling subsequent analytical tests of the sample liquid to be performed safely.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-185671
However, when absorbing the sample liquid adhered around the injection port 214 with the absorbing member 215, the sample liquid injected into the cavity 208 of the panel 203 for analysis is also absorbed disadvantageously by the absorbing member 215, causing a shortage of a sample liquid necessary for mixture with the analyzing reagent 209 and affecting the measurement of a reactive state of the analyzing reagent 209 and the sample liquid.
In addition, since the absorbing member 215 is provided on the side of the disk 201 for analysis, when repetitively using the disk 201 for analysis, the sample liquid adhered around the injection port 214 is absorbed by the absorbing member 215 every time the panel 203 for analysis is mounted to the disk 201 for analysis to perform analysis, causing the absorbing member 215 to be gradually contaminated by the sample liquid. Such a contamination creates a risk of adversely affecting a measurement due to a contaminated substance mixed into the sample liquid, or a risk of an operator being infected with a disease by touching the contaminated absorbing member 215. Furthermore, such a contamination is disadvantageous in terms of safety management because the need arises for arduous tasks such as replacing the absorbing member 215 with a new absorbing member 215 or cleaning the absorbing member 215 every time an analysis is performed.
The present invention has been made to solve the problems described above and provides a panel for analysis and an analyzer using the same which are capable of avoiding situations that may affect measurement such as a shortage of a sample liquid or contamination even when a sample liquid adheres around the injection port 214.